So, You’re the Henpecked One? 4

Chapter 4

The already narrow and dim alley fell completely silent after the woman spoke. Lin Zhao, too, was struck into a state of profound speechlessness.

After the speechlessness came a surge of anger. “Bullshit! Since when do I have a fiancée?”

Why were there so many strange people popping up lately!

After she spoke, the woman before her fell silent for a moment, then slowly smiled. She reached out and patted Lin Zhao’s shoulder lightly, her voice growing even softer.

“It’s fine if you don’t admit it. We can go back to the casino right now and see if we can find any evidence of you cheating on your person.”

Her voice was so pleasant, but the words she spoke were so unpleasant.

Lin Zhao glared at her, gritting her teeth and lowering her voice. “What exactly do you want!”

The moment she heard her name, Lin Zhao knew who this person was. Wasn’t it the Third Miss Chu the matchmaker had mentioned a couple of days ago?

“I’m sure the matchmaker has already made my intentions very clear to you.” Chu Xihuan gently smoothed the spot she had just patted, not feeling at all that there was anything wrong with threatening someone in this manner.

“You like women?” Seeing her like this, Lin Zhao, who wasn’t one for beating around the bush, asked directly.

“Naturally.” Chu Xihuan’s eyebrows curved as she admitted it without hesitation.

“But we don’t know each other, and we’re not a good match,” Lin Zhao said again.

However, Chu Xihuan let out a soft laugh. She took a scented pouch from her sleeve and began to tie it to Lin Zhao’s waist. “You just need to ensure you’re there on the wedding day. These are not things you need to consider, nor are they necessary to consider.”

Lin Zhao looked down at the scented pouch she was tying to her waist. It was made of goose-yellow fabric embroidered with two lifelike little birds. The entire pouch exuded a new and exquisite air, becoming the most eye-catching splash of color on her drab attire.

She furrowed her brow, looking troubled. Even if she was slow, she had figured out that this person must have a reason for wanting to marry her. From the matchmaker’s visit to her personally coming to catch her, it was clear she was being given no room to refuse.

“Why?” Lin Zhao asked with a frown.

Was it really because she liked women that such a good thing had fallen into her lap?

“I have reached the age for marriage,” Chu Xihuan said lightly, her hands now taking out another scented pouch, identical to the one on Lin Zhao, and putting it on herself.

Lin Zhao stared at the pouch in her hand, a wave of heat seeming to radiate from her cheeks. She quickly averted her gaze, not daring to look.

“You clearly have better options!”

“Oh? How kind of you, to even consider so much on my behalf.” That slow, leisurely voice sounded like pure mockery to Lin Zhao’s ears.

Yes, for someone like her, saying such things was laughable, wasn’t it? She should just grab onto this heaven-sent opportunity and be set for life.

“The fifteenth of next month is our wedding day. You don’t need to do anything; I will arrange everything else.” Chu Xihuan clearly didn’t have the patience to explain everything in detail. Before leaving, she let out a soft snort. “You don’t need to do anything, but you must be there. If you cause me to lose face then…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but anyone with a brain would understand what she was implying.

As the daughter of the County Magistrate, dealing with a commoner here would be all too easy.

The faint, pleasant fragrance from the woman’s body slowly faded. Lin Zhao, as if snapping back to her senses, widened her eyes and shouted urgently, “My money!”

Her person had taken all the money from her gambling table and hadn’t returned it!

“To prevent you from gambling again, this money is confiscated.” The person up ahead didn’t even turn around, nor did her footsteps pause. She simply raised a hand and waved it dismissively.

The maid beside her turned back and made a face at Lin Zhao, clearly still holding a grudge for how she had spoken to her mistress earlier.

Lin Zhao was speechless, staring in disbelief at the backs of the mistress and maid. She couldn’t believe that not only was the woman forcing her into marriage, but she was also robbing her!

Could it be that her terrible personality was the reason she couldn’t find a partner through normal means and had to resort to coercion!

Lin Zhao leaned against the wall, feeling as if she could already see the bleakness of her future.

Her money…

How could she so righteously say it was confiscated!

They weren’t even married yet!

Lin Zhao felt a sense of grief and indignation. Clutching her chest, she walked home like a wandering soul. When she arrived, she saw Mao Xiaoyun squatting by her door.

She glanced at her listlessly.

Seeing her like this, Mao Xiaoyun was startled. “Boss, did you suffer some kind of blow? Why are you looking at me with those dead fish eyes?”

Mao Xiaoyun’s words almost made Lin Zhao cough up another mouthful of blood. But her witty banter did manage to dilute some of the heartache from losing her money. “What are you doing here again?” she asked wearily.

The day after the matchmaker’s visit, Mao Xiaoyun had heard the news and rushed over to join in the excitement. Now she was back again. Surely she couldn’t have already found out about what happened between her and Chu Xihuan at the casino?

“Bringing you food!” Mao Xiaoyun grinned, pulling out a paper-wrapped package from her tunic. “My mom made meat-filled fried pancakes today. I secretly saved two for you to try.”

Lin Zhao fell silent, opened the door, and let her in.

Come to think of it, if she hadn’t met Mao Xiaoyun, who would secretly bring her food from home, her life wouldn’t be as good as it was now.

Mao Xiaoyun walked in as if she owned the place, her eyes landing on the large chests in the courtyard. “Hasn’t anyone come to move these things away yet?”

Lin Zhao: “…They’re not moving them.”

She had already said and done what she could. If Chu Xihuan herself didn’t care, why should she get so worked up about it? She had nothing to lose anyway. How much worse could her life get?

Mao Xiaoyun’s almond-shaped eyes widened. “Why aren’t they moving them!”

She already had a guess, but she still couldn’t be sure.

Lin Zhao took the fried pancake from her, channeling her grief over her lost money into her appetite. “The wedding is on the fifteenth of next month,” she said indistinctly. “Remember to come.”

As soon as she said it, she paused. Could she invite her friends to her own wedding?

She… probably could, right?

Lin Zhao thought uncertainly. She was, after all, one of the brides. She should have the right to invite a friend to the banquet, shouldn’t she?

Mao Xiaoyun was shocked. She leaned in close to Lin Zhao, her eyes fixed on her. “If you’re being forced, just blink.”

Just a few days ago, she was the only one worrying about marriage, but how had Lin Zhao settled things so quickly! There had been no signs at all!

Lin Zhao blinked furiously. “And then what?”

Mao Xiaoyun sat back sheepishly, her hands placed primly on her knees. “N-nothing then.”

If even her boss could be forced, she, a small fry, wouldn’t even be enough for them to make a dish out of.

Lin Zhao: “…”

With her mouth full, she couldn’t bring herself to roll her eyes at Mao Xiaoyun. She had more or less resigned herself to this marriage anyway.

“By the way, boss, where did you get this?” Mao Xiaoyun pointed to the scented pouch at Lin Zhao’s waist, grinning like a sly mouse. It was obvious she had already guessed but was deliberately teasing her.

Lin Zhao quickly stuffed the pouch into her tunic, afraid Mao Xiaoyun would lean in for a closer look. She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “You already know, so why ask?”

Mao Xiaoyun giggled. “Sister-in-law is quite skilled with her hands.”

Lin Zhao: “…”

As they were eating and chatting, just after finishing one pancake, several people in uniform walked into the open courtyard gate, even carrying various cleaning tools.

Lin Zhao stared dumbfounded at these uninvited guests.

The leading woman said to Lin Zhao, “We were sent by the young miss to renovate and decorate the house. Miss Lin, you can call me Wang Ma from now on. We’ll get started then.”

After greeting Lin Zhao and explaining the situation, she began to direct the people she had brought with her. She was clearly experienced in these matters, and her instructions were carried out quickly. The group began to busy themselves in the courtyard.

Mao Xiaoyun was also a little intimidated by the scene. She unconsciously shrank closer to Lin Zhao and whispered, “Boss, did you really marry into a wealthy family?”

Being able to arrange for so many people to come and work, wasn’t that what a wealthy family did?

Lin Zhao clutched the remaining fried pancake in her hand. In the presence of the people Chu Xihuan had sent, she felt an inexplicable sense of shame.

Did she look like a disgrace to Chu Xihuan right now?

She lost her appetite to eat any more. She re-wrapped the pancake and placed it on the small table. Without answering Mao Xiaoyun’s question, she decided that the news of her marriage to Chu Xihuan shouldn’t come from her. What if Chu Xihuan changed her mind one day? It was better if she spread the news herself.

“Miss Lin, could you please get up and move somewhere else for a moment?” The leader, Wang Ma, asked Lin Zhao politely.

Lin Zhao then realized that she and Mao Xiaoyun were in their way.

She stood up awkwardly with Mao Xiaoyun to make room for them. But then she found that no matter where she stood, she seemed to be in the way, and her help wasn’t needed. So, Lin Zhao had no choice but to take Mao Xiaoyun to the doorway and sit on the small steps in front of the gate.

Mao Xiaoyun was terrified. “Boss, will you still be able to hang out with me in the future?”

“Why not?” Lin Zhao looked at her, confused.

“They look so impressive. Will I even be able to step into your house in the future?” Mao Xiaoyun felt that they would no longer be in the same social class!

Lin Zhao: “…What nonsense are you talking about? Of course you can.”

Although she had many cronies, Mao Xiaoyun was her only real friend. And Lin Zhao was not the kind of scoundrel who would forget her friends for a lover.

“True. If worse comes to worst, I’ll apply to be your maid. That way, in my mom’s eyes, I won’t be considered idle anymore.” But Mao Xiaoyun quickly cheered up, even grinning at her own cleverness.

Lin Zhao: “…”

Mao Xiaoyun sidled up to Lin Zhao, poked her arm slyly, and whispered, “So, you’ve received the gifts, which means you must have met my sister-in-law, right? Is she pretty?”

Lin Zhao immediately thought of Chu Xihuan.

What to do? Even though that person acted so unreasonably and was a total bully, she still couldn’t bring herself to say something against her conscience…

***

Author’s Note:

Zhao-zhao, annoyed: Why do you have to be so good-looking! I can’t even think of anything bad to say! [Angry][Angry]